MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DAMAGE BY EXCESS NITROGEN-OXIDES - NITRATION OF TYROSINE BY GAS-PHASE CIGARETTE-SMOKE

Citation
Jp. Eiserich et al., MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DAMAGE BY EXCESS NITROGEN-OXIDES - NITRATION OF TYROSINE BY GAS-PHASE CIGARETTE-SMOKE, FEBS letters, 353(1), 1994, pp. 53-56
Citations number
39
Categorie Soggetti
Biophysics,Biology
Journal title
ISSN journal
00145793
Volume
353
Issue
1
Year of publication
1994
Pages
53 - 56
Database
ISI
SICI code
0014-5793(1994)353:1<53:MMODBE>2.0.ZU;2-W
Abstract
Nitric oxide (nitrogen monoxide, (NO)-N-.) plays important physiologic al roles, but an excess can be toxic. (NO)-N-. is present in cigarette smoke (CS) at up to 500 ppm, and probably represents one of the great est exogenous sources of (NO)-N-. to which humans are exposed. We show here that gas-phase CS is capable of converting tyrosine to 3-nitroty rosine (3-NO2-Tyr) and dityrosine, to an extent dependent on time of e xposure and pH. Glutathione, ascorbic acid and uric acid decreased the CS-induced formation of 3-NO2-Tyr and dityrosine. We suggest that nit rogen oxides in CS can modify proteins in the respiratory tract and ma y contribute to CS toxicity.